Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with Bi-functional shRNA targeting stathmin 1 and uses thereof.
U.S. Patent Application 20070248659 (Shanahan et al 2006) discloses methods for treating cancer, which comprise obtaining a specimen of cancer tissue from a patient; obtaining a specimen of normal tissue in the proximity of the cancer tissue from such patient; extracting total protein and RNA from the cancer tissue and normal tissue; obtaining a protein expression profile of the cancer tissue and normal tissue using 2D DIGE and mass spectrometry; identifying proteins that are expressed in such cancer tissue at significantly different levels than in the normal tissue; obtaining a gene expression profile of the cancer tissue and normal tissue using microarray technology and comparing the results thereof to the protein expression profile; prioritizing over-expressed proteins by assessing the connectivity thereof to other cancer-related or stimulatory proteins; designing an appropriate RNA interference expression cassette to, directly or indirectly, modulate the expression of genes encoding such prioritized proteins; incorporating said cassette into an appropriate delivery vehicle; and providing the patient with an effective amount of the delivery vehicle to, directly or indirectly, modify the expression (i.e., production) of such proteins. Claim 15 recites a method for reducing the rate of cancer cell growth or inducing cancer cell apoptosis, which comprises preparing one or more RNA interference expression cassettes, wherein the cassettes encode nucleic acid sequences at least substantially complementary to mRNA transcripts encoded by the RACK1 gene, the Syntenin gene, and the Stathmin 1 gene; and (b) providing the one or more RNA interference expression cassettes to a cancer cell.